On 2010-10-07 08:55, Andrewzuber wrote:
I too agree that it appears repetitive and it wouldn't fit my style to do it as many times as Dan does it in his routine, however I also don't use other people's presentations, and prefer to come up with my own. I've come up with one that I find rather humorous (of course I'm biased) that works so well with these ropes, it's like they were meant to be together.

That said, this is a fantastic purchase and I'm shocked that it was only $20. As Woland said, you often get crummy directions and unclear pictures, but it's obvious that time and thought went into this, and I went so far as to email Dan to thank him for that when it showed up. If you're worried about repetition, this effect won't let you down...just use a little creative storytelling and you'll have yourself a beautiful routine. Dan also explains several variations of how to go through the transformations so that you're not doing the exact same moves each time.

Again, I can't recommend this enough...and it's so easy to do that you almost feel guilty when it looks so good in your own hands.

On 2010-11-08 09:40, Andrewzuber wrote:
I wouldn't say I'm starving for new material. I could do hours of material with a single deck of cards - does that mean I should never buys gaffs to create new routines? Never work with coins, or sponge balls? What's wrong with branching out and working on something new?

It may appear "novel" to a magician, but the spectator has no idea how it's done. Call me naive, but I had no idea how this was done before I bought it. That's what I love about magic; the mystery, even as a performer, still exists for me. I also don't think this needs to be "new" to be impressive. Cups and balls moves aren't new but there's nothing wrong with building a routine with them - that's how we advance our performances. If we all did the same routines in the same ways, there'd be no variety out there.

Seems to me there's some bitterness because this is getting good feedback. Shouldn't that be encouraged? I'm not calling it the holy grail, nor am I calling it a brand new thing that's never been done before. I'm simply saying it works for me and Dan was a pleasure to deal with, and that's what I care about. Don't discredit the effect it has on audiences - it's a killer. A rope routine doesn't need to be ten minutes long to have a strong impact.

To each his own, I suppose. Arguing opinions about what plays well is pointless; my only concern is with the integrity of the inventor, which I believe Dan has, and my audience reactions, and they've been nothing short of fantastic when it comes to this routine. 'Nuff said.

On 2010-11-08 09:48, Andrewzuber wrote:
Woland - thanks for the tip! That's kind of where I was headed but I hadn't worked out the exact details yet, so you pushed me in the right direction.

Floyd - are you referring to the instant change at the very end, where the ropes go from the same length to different lengths? I love that portion and want to figure out a way to incorporate that. As my routine stands right now it doesn't really fit but it's an ongoing process, and that last move is indeed a nice variation and visually stunning.

On 2010-11-08 14:37, Woland wrote:
Others have mentioned that Mr. Harlan's effect could be performed without the gimmick that he has devised. Maybe so, but it would be, I think, much more difficult. The gimmick is ingenious, and makes the handling nearly effortless. I think that makes it very smooth.

Woland

On 2010-11-09 06:45, magicians wrote:

The repetition of the moves is also brilliant since you have no choice if you do not incorporate another effect.

On 2010-11-09 16:26, Woland wrote:
A nice thing about Mr. Harlan's handling is that his repetitions force the participants to confront the transformation without challenging them. They are encouraged to enjoy the magic with him, he is not trying to baffle them or "fool" them.

Woland